At the end of the 19th century, Bucharest was a city alive with urban elegance: ornate carriages gracefully traversed Calea Victoriei, and horse-drawn wheels were the symbol of refinement. At the same time, Romania had already built a unique industrial identity — it was among the world’s pioneers in oil refining, with a functional refinery in Ploiești as early as 1857. Despite this achievement, the city was unprepared for the automobile era: the road and fuel infrastructure was almost entirely missing.

The arrival of the automobile and makeshift fueling

In 1898, the first automobile arrived in Bucharest: a noisy, trembling vehicle consuming fuel and attracting attention. The immediate question arose: “Where do you refuel such a vehicle in a city still dominated by horses and carriages?” 

Gasoline at that time was not the ordinary fuel we know today. It was seen as a highly flammable substance, sold cautiously, in small quantities, in unconventional places. Thus, the first car owners had to turn to well-stocked pharmacies or drugstores, where the so-called “petrol spirit” was sold.

One can imagine the scene: the driver — often a nobleman or an enthusiastic banker — would bring his car to the pharmacy or drugstore, set up a funnel near the fuel tank, and receive a portion of gasoline manually poured from a metal canister or barrel, while curious onlookers stopped to watch this urban spectacle. The process was slow, risky, and certainly eye-catching.

The first steps toward dedicated stations

As the years passed, and with the increasing number of automobiles — supported by the rise of automobile clubs — the need for specialized refueling points became urgent. From 1905 onward, both foreign and local oil companies — such as Româno-Americană (a branch of Standard Oil) and Astra Română (associated with Shell) — began installing the first public fueling devices. These were not yet full gas stations in the modern sense but simple wrought-iron pumps positioned on the sidewalks of main streets (Calea Victoriei, Bulevardul Elisabeta), near garages or company offices.

The pumps operated manually, with a crank that drew fuel from an underground tank, and above it, a glass tube displayed the amount of fuel being poured. The appearance of these devices marked the beginning of a real transformation of Bucharest’s urban landscape — from streets dominated by horses and carriages to avenues filled with the rumble of engines and the smell of fuel.

The interwar period and urban transformation

During the interwar period, the automobile gradually gained status as a social symbol: it was no longer merely a “toy” for pioneers but a marker of power and modernity. Multi-level garages, such as the famous Garaj Ciclop on Bulevardul Magheru (built in the 1920s), became not only parking spaces but also service centers and essential refueling points for the emerging automotive community.

By the 1930s and 1940s, integrated stations like “OSIN” in Piața Victoriei appeared: standalone pavilions, canopies, multiple pumps, and auxiliary services. The OSIN station represented a model of modernity for Bucharest — providing not only gasoline but also accessories and services, a precursor to the modern “service center” concept. 

During this period, the urban landscape of the capital changed radically: the sound of hooves became rare, replaced by the roar of engines, the smell of petrol became normal, and cars ceased to be exceptions, becoming an integral part of urban life.

Impact on infrastructure and society

The transformation of automobile refueling was not just a technical matter but a true paradigm shift for urban life and society. Alongside the emergence of gas stations, garages, service centers, road networks, signage, and related facilities were needed. 

Car owners were no longer simply individual enthusiasts — they became members of a new urban community characterized by rapid mobility, free circulation, and modern consumption. Streets grew increasingly busy, with cars weaving among trams, carriages, and bicycles, setting a new rhythm for the city.

At the same time, gasoline as a commercial product began to be standardized, technical regulations were introduced, and distribution became increasingly organized. In just one generation, Bucharest had transformed: from a city of carriages to a city of automobiles, and the “petrol spirit” sold at pharmacies had become a thing of the past.

Challenges and memories of the early era

The transition to automobiles was not without challenges: early pumps were often inadequate, manual pouring was hazardous, roads were not yet adapted to heavy traffic, and fuel was considered dangerous and difficult to handle. Yet through these sometimes improvised experiments, Bucharest gradually shaped its modern future. For pedestrians and passersby, the sight of a car lined up for refueling outside a pharmacy or drugstore became a visible sign of urban change.

The memory of those years remains a symbol of transition: the moment when gasoline — its strong smell, its exhaust fumes — became an indicator of modernity. Unlikely places, such as a pharmacy or drugstore, temporarily became “gas stations,” and pioneering drivers wrote the first pages of Romanian mobility with their engines.

Final reflections

The story of Bucharest’s first gas station — the story of drivers buying “petrol spirit” from pharmacies — epitomizes urban and technological transformation. It shows how a city with a tradition of elegant carriages quickly adapted to the automobile revolution, how infrastructure followed these steps, albeit belatedly, and how the early adopters were often inventive, using pharmacies, drugstores, and manual wrought-iron pumps.

This history is not just about fuel; it is about mobility, urban identity, and how technology redefined social status. The image of an elegant driver lining up at a pharmacy on Calea Victoriei to refuel his automobile illustrates how recent and radical the transformation was. In the end, the scene in which the roar of engines replaced the clatter of hooves, and the smell of petrol became normal, speaks volumes about how quickly the world changed: in Bucharest, within a single generation, mobility was reinvented.

For today’s residents, when passing by a modern gas station or pump, it is worth imagining the moment when the “gas station” was a corner pharmacy, and the automobile was a rarity. It is a reminder that modern mobility — accessible to all today — began modestly, with “petrol spirit” poured by hand from a canister.

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